Lucky Seven

ラッキーセブン

2012, 10-episode FujiTV detective drama that starred Matsumoto Jun as Tokita Shuntaro, a 'freeter' who is great with women as well as reading people.

The story unfolds with some private detectives spying on a married woman having frequent interval sex with an unsuspecting Shuntaro. The PI's pop the woman, and the next day, when Shuntaro calls her for another bit of afternoon delight, she tells him to stop calling her on account of being caught by her upset husband.

Shuntaro figures out how it happened and goes after Eita's Nitta Teru, one of the spies he bumped into in the underground parking garage of the 'love' hotel.

The two don't get along, and the first episode showed it in spades. It was an action-packed episode straight out of the gate that never slowed down much until the very end, and even then it had me wide-eyed and laughing.

Nitta is a hot-headed loud-mouth with issues who isn't inclined to smile, much less take the time to listen or get to know anyone.

After the two duke it out inside the detective agency, the boss appears to break it up, and then she propositions Shuntaro, asking if he thinks he can cut it as a detective.

This is the second time around for me, having watched it shortly after its upload at aznv.tv and then again at dramacrazy.net because apparently aznv.tv is having technical difficulties once again.

The subs were stupid. Since graduating (even before) I began to notice that one of the big issues with these subbers is their inability to comprehend or lack of education with regard to prepositions, subject/verb agreement, and tense.

A, and, the, is, was, the be's, etc.

The inability to properly word phrases, too, like butt OUT.

Then there is the problem of Asian phrases not being properly translated to English. Their strange use of ordinal versus cardinal, time, and context.

I'll leave 'first', and hang up 'now', until just now, and since just then don't compute well in English vernacular and sound ridiculous to the English-trained ear.

Regardless, this had a minor effect on my LIKE of this drama.

Each episode brings a new client into the office, and then the mismatched group of detectives do their thing right up to the very end - which starts out normal, goes wrong, and usually with Shuntaro figuring out what needs doing to set things right.

The first episode, though, was a powerhouse packed full of amazing and hilarious fight scenes between Eita's Nitta and Jun's Shuntaro.

Their first client is a disillusioned and heartbroken fire fighter who gives up on life and keeps entering illegal fight club rounds, letting whatever contestant ends up in the cage with him beat the crap out of him without defending himself or fighting back.

The tag team of detectives discovers gambling on the premises and enlists the aid of the police, but until they can get there, a diversion is needed in order to keep their client's aniki out of the ring - fearing he might, just die this time around.

Enter Shuntaro and Nitta.

Way too much fun there.

An aside or story-within-the-story is Shuntaro's little nephew, who lives with Shuntaro, his grandmother, Shuntaro's mother, and his father, Shuntaro's aniki.

The little boy is addicted to a long-running detective show on TV, and toward the end of this 10-episode drama, fantasy meets reality.

The five-rainbow rating is simple. This drama is re-watchable, not over-the-top stupid, less predictable than you'd think, and not cram-packed with ganbatte messages.

Watching guys like Matsumoto Jun and Eita bicker, learning the secrets of what makes each of the stars character's tick, and being interested in each of the stories that make their way into the detective agency also helped decide on such a high rating.

If you haven't seen this one yet, get going. You won't be disappointed.

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Zeni Geba

Money Crazy, 銭ゲバ

2009, nine-episode NTV JDorama that starred Matsuyama Kenichi as Gamagori Futaro, a child of the system who grows up to avenge in a sociopath's style.

If you haven't seen this yet, or if you chose not to watch it because of the synopsis, you've made a big mistake.

Yes, it's dark and even hideous in nature, but well worth the nine episodes it took to tell the tale. And, the synopsis wasn't written well or accurate, either.

First off, I love Kenichi-kun and am working my way through everything he's starred in, and this is actually the third time I've watched Zeni Geba, too.

It's a psychological thriller of sorts but at a slower pace than the typical dramas of this nature. We are walked through Futaro's mixed-up life start to finish, made to see every aspect of that twisted existence, and then shown the decisions he made one after the other all in the name of money.

Gamagori Futaro arrived into a normal life, but it wasn't long before that life took a major turn for the worst. His father became a shiftless nuisance and his mother ended up with a terminal illness. He lived impoverished up until her death, and then he was forced to have to survive on his own from age ten onward.

Yes, at the start he believed money was the answer to all his woes, and yes, his father was to blame for a majority of what ended up being instilled inside his twisted mind. Still, the writer (Original manga by George Akiyama) seemed not to choose sides or even let us pick one over the other - in a sense, brilliant and yet not.

However, the last episode turned out to be something unexpected, and yet it also switched gears - giving us another side of the equation to think about - and in a way that made me start to believe the writer DID have a side to take.

As manga writing goes, they seem to take a 'now' topic and expound on it, twist and turn it into something fantasy, or delve deeper into a specific aspect of that issue. This time, though, the writer chose to take all sides before suddenly forming an opinion at the very end.

This particular topic being Money and how it influences people.

Before I continue, let me suggest you not let the weird camera angles have any effect on your judgment about this drama ...

It doesn't occur often, but a bit more toward the end than usual, yet it has its purpose. You'll find that out later on, but then again, it isn't difficult to figure out why the director chose to add these distortions into the show.

A twisted mind has a twisted view of the world. A warped sense of perspective, and therefore things like this become necessary.

The problem I had with the synopsis was that it made the story sound too simple and point-blank when it isn't. This isn't about Futaro's desire to obtain money through devious means. His victims were chosen with purpose, and by now his distorted view of money has changed drastically as well.

Those who seemed to think they knew it all, could survive despite their circumstances, or who tried to make themselves appear better than the rest were the ones who were targeted ... and for that reason alone.

This is more about the damage done to a child's vulnerable and impressionable mind at an early age, the heavy weight of responsibility a parent has toward their offspring, and about society's lack of compassion or true understanding of the absolute value of human life.

Can or should we take Futaro's side based on everything we know about him and his past? Is it the responsibility of those who have to reach out and help those who have not? Is it wrong for me to want to root for Futaro because of what I already know about him?

I did, actually, right up to the very end. It didn't bother me much to see the things he did as an adult, and I understood his reason for doing them, too.

Does this make me a sociopath, too?

Throughout this drama, Futaro was told a few phrases to live by - like money can't buy happiness, etc. - and the more he heard, the more that he experienced, the less inclined he was to believe anything or anyone. This is logical, especially to one who has hit the bottom and been forced to scratch and claw his way back to daylight at the least; the height of power at the most.

We're led to believe that money is the root of all evil and that those silly sayings are created by people who are on the brink of insanity and need them in order not to succumb.

Ganbatte.

The have's and the have-not's merge in this drama, and the ganbatte phrases meant to help lift up a weary soul are uttered from time to time, but the bottom line in all this is that it is bullshit. You either have it or you don't. You're either pretty or not, rich or not, successful or not, and capable or not.

Black and white with no grey area to consider.

Futaro's eventual goal became to prove the have-not's are as wrong and useless as the have's. And, yes, he targeted the wealthy Mikuni clan on purpose, but I had to wonder if it was more about what occurred between him and Midori as children than it did about obtaining all that wealth only to toss it all away at the end.

As for that ending ... well ... it was a roller-coaster ride for me, and as it slowly came to a close, I was disappointed. It became another cliche about evil needing punishment regardless of the extenuating circumstances.

All Futaro really needed was help. Help that wasn't available, and this is the real problem with society, not money. Why are little ones made to wander around Japan without adult help?

Thanks to Reagan-omics, the U.S. is suffering due to lack of proper mental care and social programs in this country. We're experiencing the effects of that stupidity with mass-murder events occurring at least once or twice a year, too.

We're all responsible for one another, and it's got zero to do with money, wealth, or power. Although until everyone gets on board, the brunt of that responsibility falls on their shoulders. It's their fault, though, for creating such a situation in the first place.

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Nodame Cantabile

2006, 11-episode Fuji-TV JDo that starred Ueno Juri as Noda Megumi aka Nodame (Piano) and Tamaki Hiroshi as Chiaki Shinichi (Piano/Conducting).

This is based on Manga of the same premise and characters, and the two leads did terrific jobs portraying the stressed-out, uppity conductor wonna-be Chiaki, and the flaky, unrealistic kindergarten teaching hopeful, Noda.

Tamaki Hiroshi as Chiaki Shinichi

This is the fourth time I've watched the drama and the movie that followed shortly after it ended. Not a waste of time at all, either.

The reason I gave it 4 instead of 5 is because while I enjoy reading Manga and don't mind too much that it becomes live-action, it still bugs me that there aren't more novels that become that way instead.

The second reason is because of the pretentiousness with which the entire story was presented. Classical music isn't and shouldn't be portrayed as something high-brow, upper class, and worth giving up your entire life to perfect, much less pursue. It's for everyone to enjoy as well as to play and participate in.

Someone always has to be god-like as well, and I've said all I can about the way that line of thinking makes me feel.

Until now, I mistook him for Ikuta Toma. They have similar facial features but not the same voice, I think. Still, they're both hot and worth spending hours staring at and admiring. Hiroshi-kun was amazing in this drama!

Nodame Cantabile is about Chiaki-kun's journey to self-discovery in the form of learning how to grow, let go of past notions about life and career, to get along well with others, and then accept the things that come to pass without fighting against it via self-will.

He's a child prodigy who grew up in the lap of luxury and never got rid of an initial desire to conduct orchestras rather than play in one like his estranged father, a concert pianist.

He attends a music academy in Japan but wants desperately to return to Europe and study with his old master. Unfortunately, after his parents divorced when he was young, he returned to Japan with his mother and experienced a bad plane landing which resulted in his fear of flying.

Stuck on land in Japan, he stomps his way through this academy, complaining about everything he hears being played by the other students. Naturally, the chicks dig him for his looks and size, but he isn't very receptive to their advances or even the fact that the guys there would like it if he were their friend.

He keeps attempting to get into the conducting division at the academy, even knowing it's pointless since he'll never be able to reach Europe without overcoming his fear of flying. Each time he applies, though, the request is turned down.

At the apartment, he meets his neighbor, Noda Megumi. She's the complete opposite of him, and when she drags him inside her apartment, he realizes what a slob she is. Later, on his balcony, he notices a nasty smell and then watches in horror as neon purple liquid begins oozing onto his side of the wall.

Upset, he marches into Nodame's apartment and insists that she clean the place. Chiaki-kun ends up doing all the work, though.

Then he is forced to have to play a piano duet with her in a classroom setting. He's reluctant at first, but he's already heard her play before and is overly curious about her lack of control yet ability to captivate.

He's crass and rude to Noda, always shouting at her to get her act together and do the right thing while she ignores it all and continues to smile, goof off, and do everything the way she sees fit.

Everything about Nodame annoys Chiaki, and yet he's still drawn to her. Because of his desire to conduct, it's natural for him to want to help draw out the natural talent he sees in her.

She's not there to become famous or travel the world as a member of an orchestra, though. Noda has aspirations of becoming a kindergarten teacher.

I didn't get that. I had no idea why she'd spend good money at this academy if that was her goal. Do music academy's teach education classes for kindergarten students?

Regardless, for the eleven episodes, we watch how these two opposites end up in a budding relationship, spend time together, and how their personalities end up having some type of effect one over the other here and there.

At the same time, though, their personalities are such that regardless of how the two end up being sucked into the other's world, they both always return to who they are naturally.

The kotatsu episode was a case in point and hilarious as well.

The more that Nodame ends up falling for Chiaki-kun, the harder she attempts to mold herself into his ideal, and sometimes it works, sometimes not.

Every time she upset Chiaki, he'd toss her aside like a rag doll, and every time this occurred, or when he said or did something to upset her, she'd let out this word.

Funny, cute, silly stuff completely in line with the Manga.

I had issues with the subs, too. At the beginning of each episode, it stated that this was beta and would be cleaned up later. Um ... not sure how that is possible, and this is 2014 now. I've yet to find another streaming website that uses cleaned up subs.

This can't be what she said, and regardless, it makes no sense.

Another of my favorite Japanese actors starred in this one:

Eita as Mine Ryutaro (Violin)

He started out as an electric violin player intent on restructuring classical music by adding a Rock & Roll flavor that would be a definite hit with kids his age and younger.

Early on, he ends up befriending Chiaki, and not long afterward the whole gang shows up at his father's tiny restaurant to meet, eat, and drink, chat, commiserate, and plan their next move.

Loved the rainbow hair clips.

His character was a little on the spaz side, but he didn't shout a whole lot or annoy. His passion was what ended up helping Chiaki-kun realize his dream of becoming a conductor. Mine made it to a second-string orchestra, and the conductor bailed, so he and Nodame enlisted Chiaki for the job.

Mine played the cheerleader, the go-to guy, and the referee in times of conflict. He fell in love as well, and he continued to cheer on the girl after she ended up leaving for Europe and further studies.

Then there was the guy with the interesting mustache. He also sported an afro, but it didn't stick out as much as the 'stache.

Koide Keisuke as Okuyama Masumi played timpani and had a huge crush on Chiaki-kun. Every time that Nodame entered the picture, his jealousy showed to the point of mild violence.

Masumi was always there whenever another girl (or guy) tried to wile their way into Chiaki's private time, and Chiaki-kun eventually learned to appreciate him while ignoring his one-sided affection.

He liked to wear 1970's apparel to include bright colors, paisley, bell-bottoms, vests, and white lifts.

Another aspect of Nodame Cantabile that I always enjoy is the music - of course.

Here's where the pretentiousness comes in, though.

It's great to learn new things, and I like finding out stuff I didn't know before, too, but still. The way it's presented is annoying and in-your-face, making me not appreciate the effort.

Again, the subs kept making the mistake of referring to a concert as a concerto.

Concert: [kon-surt] a public musical performance in which a number of singers or instrumentalists, or both, participate.

Concerto: [kuhn-cher-toh] a composition for one or more principal instruments, with orchestral accompaniment, now usually in symphonic form.

However, I'll give them a bit of credit since there were times when the actors themselves said concert-o, which might be habit rather than misconception. They can't end any word with a consonant, but the two words are pronounced much different, so the subber's should have known better.

Anyway, I liked watching this drama a lot and I loved hearing the music, too.

It's my understanding, too, that the Korean version will finally become reality this fall. Sources report Joo Won as being the Chiaki-kun, too.

Wait and see for me. It's still too early to get excited until all the pieces are put in place.

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PRICELESS Sono yōna koto wa arimasen!

2012 Fuji-TV 10-episode JDo that starred Kimura Takuya as Kindaichi Fumio, a quirky, fast-talking, and seemingly oblivious salary man who tends to ignore his surroundings while also remembering every, last thing that went on around him, including knowing everyone's name and what department they're from, when is their birthday, and pertinent yet irrelevant office info about things like sick family members currently recovering in a hospital.

At the start of this fast-paced, auctioneer-style dialogue drama, our Fumio is king of the hill, and then the next day he is falsely accused, fired, stripped of his credit/cash, and watches his apartment blow up before his very eyes - leaving him destitute.

Fumio spends the night in a park and meets new, interesting characters, treating them the very same way he had his co-workers and associates. He learns how to survive without money, meets two young boys who take him to their grandmother's house, and the old lady insists that Fumio can stay as long as he promises to make the 500y a day she asks for to cover his room/board.

It isn't long before his boss and a young woman from the accounting department end up in the same boat with Fumio and have to earn the same 500y to stay with Fumio in the tiny room he and now they rent.

Karina is Nikaido Saya, the genius accountant, and Nakai Kiichi as Moai Kengo, their boss - department head, actually, a man who disappears in a crowd and is overlooked by the people standing right next to him.

The real boss - wicked heir to the Miracle Thermos Company - is Fujiki Naohito as Oyashiki Toichiro.

Toichiro has a grudge against Fumio, and while we know episode after episode why he's angry, we aren't really allowed to know the truth of the matter until near the end. In realistic honesty, though, it is easy to figure out what the real deal is almost instantly, and it is our adorable Fumio who must be made to suffer right up to the bitter end before finding out just why it was he had to go through so much hell on account of the jealous and vengeful Toichiro.

This was a comedy start to finish, and a tension-based bit of romance between Fumio and Saya that needed 10 episodes to sputter and cough its way to practically nothing at the very end, but trust me when I say THAT WASN'T A SPOILER!

I also can't help thinking that their names are a play on their names.

Kimura Takuya as Kindaichi Fumio - Nakai Kiichi as Moai Kengo - Natsuki Mari as Marioka Ichirin - Renbutsu Misako as Hirose Yoko - Fujigaya Taisuke as Enomoto Kotaro - Masu Takeshi as Fujisawa Takeshi - Karina as Nikaido Saya - 
Fujiki Naohito as Oyashiki Toichiro - Maeda Oshiro as Marioka Kanta - 
Issey Ogata as Zaizen Osamu - Tanaka Kanau as Marioka Ryota - Nakamura Atsuo as Oyashiki Iwao

They are weird names even if it isn't obvious they are weird names, but as I kept looking at them, I began to notice a slight pattern and wonder if it is true or just another of my far-reaching and pointless self-imposed coincidental mind games giving me more grief than is actually necessary.

This is 10 episodes of funny meant to show us just how amazing Fumio is so that we can believe it when he eventually returns to the top of the manufacturing, friend-making, and trust-building heap he was tossed from in episode 1.

I appreciated the other-world qualities that were sprinkled throughout while keeping just enough of Tokyo around so that I became logically confused and easily transported to this other realm I knew had to be Tokyo and yet it wasn't, really ... or at least it didn't seem like it ... sometimes.

I rarely EVER mention soundtracks in my blogs because it isn't often that they impress me, or that I am even able to remember what the songs or running theme song was, but not with Priceless: No Such Thing.

They relied on both The Stones and Sato Naoki for background ambiance, and I appreciated it, thank you very much.

Each time the gang met at a local bar, a Rolling Stones song played quietly in the background, taking me down memory lane and making me smile.

They put the leads in that small, old television with rabbit ears, too, and had them portray each member of the Stones. It was original and cool.

And Kimura-kun continued to smirk every so often even when it wasn't necessary or no one said anything funny. I adore it, that quirky habit of his, and I hope he continues with it until he stops acting altogether.

I asked myself, too, again and again as I watched Priceless if it wasn't simply because of Kimura-kun that I enjoyed the story line, the characters, the rapid-fire dialogue, and even the ganbatte stuff littered throughout.

I attempted to put other actors in his place, and I tried to imagine myself reading the book instead, too. Maybe for some the only draw would be Kimura-kun or even Naohito-san that made them watch a to z, but not me. They were extra whipped cream with two cherries on top and nothing more, because I liked the story regardless.

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